222 
SNIPE. 
but seldom seen in Pennsylvania daring the summer, but are 
occasionally met with in considerable numbers on their return 
in autumn, along the whole eastern side of the Alleghany, 
from the sea to the mountains. They have the same soaring 
irregular flight in the air, in gloomy weather, as the Snipe of 
Europe ; the same bleating note and occasional rapid descent ; 
spring from the marshes with the like feeble squeak ; and, in 
every respect resemble the common Snipe of Britain, except 
in being about an inch less, and in having sixteen feathers in 
the tail, instead of fourteen, — the number said by Bewick to 
be in that of Europe. From these circumstances, we must 
either conclude this to be a different species, or partially 
changed by difference of climate ; the former appears to me 
the most probable opinion of the two. 
These birds abound in the meadows and low grounds along 
our large rivers, particularly those that border the Schuylkill 
and Delaware, from the 10th of March to the middle of April, 
and sometimes later, and are eagerly sought after by many of 
our gunners. The nature of the grounds, however, which 
these birds frequent, the coldness of the season, and peculiar 
shyness and agility of the game, render this amusement 
attractive only to the most dexterous, active, and eager of our 
sportsmen. 
The Snipe is eleven inches long, and seventeen inches in 
extent ; the bill is more than two inches and a half long, fluted 
lengthwise, of a brown colour, and black towards the tip, 
where it is very smooth while the bird is alive, but, soon after 
it is killed, becomes dimpled, like the end of a thimble ; 
crown, black, divided by an irregular line of pale brown ; 
another broader one of the same tint passes over each eye ; 
from the bill to the eye, there is a narrow dusky line ; neck 
and upper part of the breast, pale brown, variegated with 
touches of white and dusky ; chin, pale ; back and scapulars, 
deep velvety black, the latter elegantly marbled with waving 
lines of ferruginous, and broadly edged exteriorly with white ; 
wings, plain dusky, all the feathers, as well as those of the 
